Roller spring control



Sept. 18 1923. 11,468,107

B. J. HAUSFELD ROLLER SPRING CONTROL Filed Dem l7 .1919

INVENTOR.

I I A ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 18,1923.

satires stares meant PATENT @Ffififl.

BERNARD J. nnUsFELn, or CINCINNATI, OHIO, Assmnon, BY MESNE nsslonrrnnrs, T THELUNKEN wrrinow COMPANY, or CINCINNATI, 01110,.6. CORPORATION or OHIVO.

: ROLLER SPRING CONTROL.

Application filed n cember 17, 1919. Serial No. 345,493

T 0 all whom z'tmay concern Be it known that I, BERNARD J. I'IAUSFELD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county. of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Roller Spring Controls, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification. My invention relates to devices for supporting and turning up the central or spring shafts of shade rollers and the like, although this is'not the only possible application of the essentials of my invention.

Among other objects of my invention is.

asimple means for engaging the squared end on the spring shaft of a shade roller to support the said shaft, and at the same time revolve it. In this connection also, it is my object to provide a ratchet device which holds the shaft engaging means from revolution so as to preserve tension on the spring. It has not been considered necessary to show the construction of a shade roller and its shaft, since any acceptable form of spring roller is adaptable to my invention. It Wlll be noted that the usual form of shade roller has a central shaft which has thereon a 39 spring device that is connected to the roller, thereby causing the roller to revolve, when the shaft is held. In addition to this, there i is ordinarily a pair of spring pawls or the like which prevent the rotation of the roller on the shaft in certain positions.

My device, as above noted, is particularly designed for application to said spring shaft, and is to be employed to wind up the shaft while retaining the roller in a fixed position, thereby increasing the tension of the spring. My various objects I accomplish by that certain construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more specifically pointed out and claimed. In the drawing, 7 Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention shown as applied to a shade roller in a window. v r r V Figure 2 is a detail longitudinal section, taken through the parts of the device, detached.

Figure 3 is a face view of the ratchet or pawl device removed. 7

Figure 4 is a perspective detail of the device detached.

As shown in Figure 1, my roller spring control is employed as aaneans for controlling the tension in a shade roller when used as an awning. Thus the device is shown at A, at the upper end of a frame 1, and as supporting a shade roller 2. There need be but one of my appliances for each roller, since, according to accepted practice, the roller shaft is supported at one end in a mere round socket.

I providea mounting plate 3, having a flange 1 for attachment to a window, and an ear 5' forattachment of the remaining parts of the invention. The plate or bracket is provided with a slot 6 running in from the edge thereof, to a central opening '7, said slot facilitating the tipping of the end of the roller shaft.into the slotted end of the stub shaft to be described.

Thus there is a stub shaft 8 having a slotted end 9 to receive the flattened end 10 of a shade roller shaft 11. This shaft has pinned to the outer end thereof an operating handle 12, which may be of any desired design. A securing bracket piece 13 is mounted loosely over the stub shaft inside of the operating handle, and fast to the shaft inside of the piece 13 is a special ratchet 14.

In mounting the parts last described on the mounting plate 3, the piece 13 is screwed at 15 tothe outside of the said plate.

Pivotally held on the piece 13 is a special double pawl or segment pawl 16, which bears against the ratchet 14-. The ratchet has its teeth 17 with their apices spaced apart very slightly greater than the span of the double pawl, so that when one tooth is about to leave the one end of the pawl, the approaching side of the other tooth is in engagement with the other end of the pawl.

From such a structure results a positive, self-locking pawl and ratchet motion. The ratchet teeth are inclined in a counterclockwise direction, and a clockwise rotation of the ratchet .will permit the teeth to ride under the pawl and lift it readily from engage ment. Any rotation of the ratchet counter clockwise will result in the raising up of one end of the pawl, thus forcing the other end behind the next advancing tooth, thereby positively locking the pawl in retaining position.

So far as I am advised, this pawl and ratchet motion is entirely novel, and provides for a device which is on the dividing line between a pawl and ratchetof accepted practice and'an escapement device.

In connection with a shade roller shaft holder, it provides against any chance of the'spring of the roller jerking so quickly at the pawl that it slips by the ratchet and allows the roller spring to become loose. VVlthOHt some such automatically locking device, with positive motion, a device for winding up the spring on a shade roller shaft could notbe entirely p'raotieal.

My whole device is simply. replaced for the usualslotted bracket plate that holds fast the squared end of a eurtain shade roller, and is simple ILHClIDQXPBDSlVG, and easy to operate, withoutany danger of having the a said roller shaft spinout of control.

I do not desire that the claims that follow be limited beyond the natural scope of their language, because of my failure above to refer'to possible mechanical equivalents for.

' the structure described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-,

ters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described, a

' and; secured to mounting plate adapted to be rnounted on the'desired] frameworkand having a slot therein, and an aperture communicating with said slot, a shaft extending through said aperture and having a slotted end, 7

' a plate mounted over ;the said shaft the mounting platesaid -platerarryinga pawl, and a ratchet mountedon the said shaft. 1 *7 2. Ina device ofzthe characterdescribed,

over which said pawl crests, said ratchet means for revolubly retaining therein a member to receive a shade roller shaft end, and means thereon for stopping the-motion of .the said revoluble means except in one 7 the combination with a mounting element,

and shaped-to pass under the pawl in one 7 direction, but to raise one/end of the pawl and 1 7 upon reverse direction.

BERNARD J. 'HiiUSFELD.

am it behind the next advancing tooth, 

